A Call To Action

Last year, Adam and I got involved with a charity called Friends of Will - which raises money to fund pediatric cancer research. Specifically neuroblastoma research and drug trials.

Do you know what neuroblastoma is?

I did not. I just knew that there was a fundraiser called Cure Me I'm Irish last year and my friend Vicki asked us to volunteer and we were happy to. It was a huge success, held at the Tirrell Room in Quincy and there was such a sense of joy to the occasion. We are all here to help sick kids and have a blast while doing so. How great is that?

It wasn't until a few months after the event, that I came to realize just how important raising money for this research is.

Neuroblastoma is a common pediatric cancer that is extraordinarily deadly. Once diagnosed, kids as young as 8 months old endure treatments that most adults could not withstand. Kids that should be learning to walk are learning to cope with round after round of chemotherapy. They lose their hair before they get a chance to grow much of it. It is heartwrenching and even more so is the fact that relapsed neuroblastoma? Is incurable. So after going through years of treatment and getting an all clear? That can all change in an instant and there is no cure for the relapsed disease.

The story of one little boy in particular, Will, captured my attention and I spent most of a rainy Saturday on a rained out vacation down the Cape reading his father Pat's blog about his son's diagnosis and subsequent years long treatments. I was completely riveted, and even more compelled to help. Will's dad started Friends of Will to fund the very research that has led Will to have the best year of his life, whils still receiving treatment. The hope is that all kids can have access to whatever they need to battle this demonic disease that robs kids of their lives and parents of their hearts. Hope is a powerful thing. And we all have it in spades!

And I dont know about you but I like my hope served with an open bar - which you can enjoy at this year's Cure Me I'm Irish ! Adam and I have gotten involved with planning this year's event and are determined to help make it an even bigger success than last year. A lot has already been accomplished and its shaping up to be a fantastic event! We're searching for a few sponsors. We're soliciting donations of any kind for the raffle/auction. And I am selling tickets o the event!

This year's Cure Me I'm Irish (taking place on March 5th!) is extra special to us because Adam has arranged a beer tasting! He has gotten local breweries on board to attend the event, and do tastings for the guests. So far on board he has Mayflower Brewing, Cape Ann Brewing, Blue Hills Brewing, Magic Hat Brewery and we are on the cusp of booking the fifth brewery.

So you're $60 ticket gets you open bar, the beer tastings, access to the live musical stylings of Joshua Tree, Irish Step Dancing, delicious food, fantastic company and more! There will be raffles and an auction and games and all the while you are helping get money to researchers trying to find a cure for kids suffering from a horrible disease. Not a bad Saturday night if you ask me!

So for my local friends - if you are interested in attending Cure Me I'm Irish on March 5th, 2011 in the ballroom at Lombardo's in Randolph please let me know! Tickets are $60 now but go up to $75 after February 15th. You can purchase them online here or I can bring them to you in person. Also even if you are not local - we are also looking for donations of items for the raffles or if you know someone who might want to get involved as a corporate sponsor send them my way as well.

It's going to be a great night for a GREAT cause!


Part of the volunteer crew from last year manning the merch table:
Adam, Caity, Me, Chris and Jeannie.